An Italian prosecutor has charged almost 1,500 Italian and foreign nationals in connection with a investigation into child pornography on the Internet.

In the inquiry -- which could lead to one of the biggest trials in Italy -- prosecutor Alfredo Ormanni has ordered 831 Italians to stand trial. He has also called for 660 foreigners to be tracked down and sent to Italy to answer the charges. The child pornography case is focused around a paedophile ring based in Russia which was uncovered a month ago. It is believed extradition requests and international arrest warrants may be issued for those accused outside Italy, who are believed to be mainly in Russia, France and Malaysia. The huge number of people were trapped in a complex investigation which involved the authorities setting up a fake paedophile Internet website. The site, set up with the help of the world's biggest software company, Microsoft, was called "amantideibambini" ("loversofchildren"). It registered 1,032 subscribers despite a number of clear warnings to make sure they wanted to enter it. A number of those charged, none of them Italian, have been accused of offering pornographic material over the Internet. The vast majority face charges of downloading child pornography. Eight people were initially arrested in Italy on charges of possessing and trading in child pornography, all of it from Russia. Three people were at first believed to have been detained in Russia in connection with the paedophile ring but the reports were later found to be false.